City of Berkeley, Land Use Planning Intern

CLOSING DATE: December 14, 2012

JOB DESCRIPTION: The City of Berkeley is seeking a planning intern to assist the Land Use Planning Division. The position provides exceptional exposure to the public decision-making process and land use and development issues in a diverse, urban setting. Salary range $16.90– $24.57/hour, depending on experience. The position requires 19 hours per week.

Minimum Qualifications: The ideal candidates will be 3rd year undergraduate or graduate students or recent graduates in the fields of Urban Studies, American Studies, City Planning, Architecture, Historic Preservation, Public Policy, Geography, Political Science, History, Sociology, Economics or other related fields; possess excellent organizational and communication skills; be proficient with basic Microsoft Office computer programs, particularly Word and Excel; and be able to work independently and follow through with assigned tasks. The ideal candidate will be available for a minimum of nine months with the possibility of an extension.

Duties: Under the lead of the Zoning Adjustments Board Secretary, internship duties include assisting with bi-monthly Board meetings which involve audio/visual recording of meetings, drafting agendas and minutes, organizing and maintaining files, and posting information to the web. Duties also include preparing responses to zoning research inquires for individual properties, independent research and analysis of current planning issues; research and analysis of existing and historical Berkeley land use regulations; review of planning policies in other communities; assisting with review of land use and development permit applications; creating spreadsheets to track development trends; updating and maintaining databases; and organizing meetings. Must be able to attend evening meetings the second and fourth Thursday of each month from roughly 6-11 p.m. and work a minimum of 3 hours on the following Friday to wrap-up meeting-related tasks.

Contact: Interested individuals should submit a resume, cover letter with an explanation of how you meet the qualifications and how this internship fits with your long-term career goals, and one writing sample (no more than five pages) by email to Terry Blount, AICP, Principal Planner (tblount@cityofberkeley.info).